Waste handling apparatus for wheelchair

ABSTRACT

A waste disposal system which is incorporated into a wheelchair. The system is compact enough to be installed in a standard sized motorized or manual wheelchair. The system allows for the separation of solid waste from liquid waste, with separate receptacles allowing for separate containment. The system may be incorporated into both collapsible and non-collapsible wheelchairs with minimal modification. In order to facilitate incorporation into a collapsible wheelchair, at least one of the components of the system is hinged at a point corresponding to the folding axis of the collapsible wheelchair. The other components are either selectively removable or attachable to the wheelchair without adding a significant amount of weight or girth thereto. The separate receptacles for containing solid and liquid waste may be separately emptied and cleaned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to waste disposal systems. Morespecifically, the invention relates to a portable waste containment anddisposal system which may be integrated into a wheelchair.

Statement of the Prior Art

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common problem with wheelchair bound persons is that of incontinence.The problem is particularly acute for those who are paralyzed, for theycannot even sense when a bowel movement or urination event occurs.Accordingly, many devices have been proposed to minimize the negativeimplications of uncontrolled urination or defecation by wheelchair boundpersons. These devices fall generally into two broad categories. Thefirst category is diapers or other absorbent garments which are worn bythe person at all times and changed periodically. While generallyeffective at containing the waste and preventing soiling of the garmentsand wheelchair, absorbent garments and the like suffer from drawbacks.Among the drawbacks, the patient is required to sit, possibly for aconsiderable period of time, in the soiled garment. The prolonged periodof contact with urine and feces can lead to skin infections and pressuresores, which can be especially difficult to treat in elderly patients orpatients with compromised immune systems. In order to prevent thisproblem, the garments would have to removed and replaced after everyurination or bowel movement which is not practical even for patients innursing homes. Also, disposable diapers are expensive and create a greatdeal of refuse, which refuse tends to have a strong odor requiringspecial disposal containers. Finally, the patient usually cannot changethe garment without help even if he/she has full use of his/her upperbody.

In order to deal with the aforementioned problems, portable “potty”systems have been developed, some of which can be attached to orincorporated into a wheelchair. These systems tend to be overlycomplicated and therefore expensive and subject to maintenance, or toosimplistic and therefore ineffective.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,136 issued to Cox discloses an incontinence seat fora wheelchair. A seat insert having a central opening allows waste to bedropped into a waste bag which is periodically emptied. This system, andother similar systems suffer from several drawbacks. First, the waste iscollected in a bag which, although stably supported, can still movearound enough to cause sloshing of the waste which increases the chanceof seepage and leaking over time. Even if the bag were replaced with asolid container, there would be considerable sloshing of the waste.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,426 issued to Dingeman et al. discloses a catheterdrainage system which allows for accumulation of urine in a bag which issupported in underlying relation to the wheelchair seat. This highlyspecialized system is not generally useful for most wheelchair boundpatients and does not have any means for collecting and maintainingsolid waste. Also, the waste is contained in a bag and is subject to theaforementioned problems.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,363 issued to Windauer discloses another urinecollection device. A shallow tray disposed immediately beneath thepatient directs urine to a rigid collection pan which may be integralwith the tray. Windauer has no means for collecting solid waste as doesthe present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,875 issued to Okamoto et al. discloses a flushtoilet integrated with a bed. While this complicated system, whichincludes a water supply and flushing mechanism, is capable of handlingboth solid and liquid waste, it cannot be used with a wheelchair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a waste disposal system which isincorporated into a wheelchair. The system is compact enough to beinstalled in a standard sized motorized or manual wheelchair. The systemallows for the separation of solid waste from liquid waste, withseparate receptacles allowing for separate containment. Waste isdirected into the receptacles via an opening formed in a weight bearingpanel used in place of the conventional wheelchair seat. The system maybe incorporated into both collapsible and non-collapsible wheelchairswith minimal modification. In order to facilitate incorporation into acollapsible wheelchair, at least one of the components of the system ishinged at a point corresponding to the folding axis of the collapsiblewheelchair. The other components are either selectively removable orattachable to the wheelchair without adding a significant amount ofweight or girth thereto. The separate receptacles for containing solidand liquid waste may be separately emptied and cleaned. The systemincludes special garments having an opening corresponding to the openingin the weight bearing panel.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide animproved waste handling apparatus for a wheelchair.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wastehandling apparatus for a wheelchair which can receive and contain bothsolid and liquid waste.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wastehandling apparatus for a wheelchair which allows for separatecontainment of solid and liquid waste.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wastehandling apparatus for a wheelchair having means to minimize sloshingand spillage of liquid waste.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a wheelchair incorporating the wastehandling system of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view illustrating the interrelation of thecomponents of the waste handling system of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the solid waste containing componentof the waste handling system of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the urine containing component of the wastehandling system of the invention.

FIGS. 5A-C show a garment which may be worn by patients seated on thewaste handling system of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and B show an alternative embodiment of a garment which may beworn by patients seated on the waste handling system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-6B, the waste handling system of the presentinvention, generally designated by the numeral 10, are shown. FIG. 1 isa perspective view of a wheelchair 12 incorporating a preferredembodiment of the system of the present invention. The invention 10includes a seat insert 20 attached to vertical wheelchair risers 22 withwheelchair fasteners 24. Screws, bolts, pins and similar coupling meansmay be used to secure and tighten fasteners 24 about risers 22, fastener24 preferably being in the form of a rail clamp. Fasteners 24 dependfrom one end of mounting rails 25, with rails 25 preferably additionallysecured along sidebars 27 with appropriate fastening means (not shown)as would be apparent to one of skill in the art. Thus the seat insert 20may be secured in weight bearing relation on the wheelchair 12. Seatinsert 20 has a centrally disposed hole 26 or opening which defines awaste receiving area. A cushion 30 may be attached to the seat insert 20by any suitable means such as seat straps. Cushion 30 has a cushion hole34 in the center aligned with seat insert hole 26. The solid wastereceptacle 38 may be used as a stand alone bed pan as shown in FIG. 3.In an alternative arrangement, cushion 30 has a rigid substrate and/oredge regions and is attached to risers 22 and/or side bars 27 and servesas the primary weight bearing seating member, allowing removal of bothsolid and liquid waste containers while the user remains seated as willbe explained in more detail later.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, the relation of the seat insert 20to the waste containment receptacles is shown. It can be seen that theseat insert 20 has a substantially planar top panel 35 within whichopening 26 is formed. Solid waste enters through opening 26 settlingonto contoured bottom surface 37 of the seat insert 20. Thus, the seatinsert 20 is essentially a solid waste receptacle 38 formed of top panel35 and contoured bottom surface 37 and mounted in weight bearingrelation to a standard wheelchair with mounting rails 25. The insert 20may be made from a rigid material such as a hard plastic. Alternatively,a flexible material may be used, with care taken to ensure that thematerial can support a substantial amount of weight as the insert 20 isthe primary weight bearing member. Also, if a flexible material is usedas the insert 20, care must be taken to select a material which will notsag or hang excessively. Contoured bottom surface 37 serves to directany fluid (i.e. liquid waste) to a drain opening 42 formed therein, thedrain opening including a plug 43 to allow the receptacle 38 to be usedas a bedpan. Downwardly depending flanges 45 serve to stabilize thesolid waste receptacle 38 when placed on a bed or other surface forstand alone use.

A relatively short downwardly depending conduit 44 has one end fluidlycoupled to drain opening 42, while the opposing end is coupled to aflexible conduit or tubing 46. A liquid waste receptacle 50 (FIG. 4)having an elongated main body 52, which may be cylindrical orrectangular, has a connector 54 releasably attached thereto whichfluidly couples conduit 46 to the interior of main body 52 via opening53. This opening 53, which may include a filter screen (not shown), hasa relatively small diameter so that even if tubing 46 is inadvertentlydisconnected there will not be excessive spillage of the receptaclecontents. The receptacle 50 preferably has a window 60 to permit visualdetermination of the fluid level to prevent overflowing of the liquidwaste. If the liquid receptacle 50 is full, backflow will accumulate inthe solid waste receptacle 38 and not leak out of the system 10, so thatthe window 60 serves primarily to encourage frequent emptying tomaintain optimal sanitary conditions. It can be seen that the window 60extends longitudinally to allow for vertical positioning. The window 60may also extend horizontally to facilitate horizontal positioning of thereceptacle 50. Of course, the liquid receptacle 50 may be made of aclear material such as a clear plastic, but it can be appreciated thatthe patient may wish to be discreet about the contents of thereceptacle. Electronic alarm means (not shown) may be provided to givethe patient a visual or audible indication that the receptacle 50 isfull.

An attachment means 59 extending from receptacle 50, may be in the formof a connector having a pair of screws or bolts 61 projecting therefrom,the bolts adapted for projecting through apertures formed in lateralcrossbar 63 attached to the lower portion of the wheelchair frame 12.Suitable fastening means may be used to secure the bolts to the crossbar63. Alternatively, a pair of straps (not shown) are placed proximate endportions of the receptacle 50, the straps secured to the wheelchairframe 12.

An alternative configuration for the receptacle is shown in FIG. 5. Thisembodiment features a receptacle 70 that can be used as a male urinary.The receptacle has a sloped top end 72 terminating in an opening 74sized to receive a connector which secures and positions drain tube 46as discussed above. A handle 76 is provided, as is a transparent gauge78.

In use, after the existing wheelchair seat is removed, seat insert 20 isplaced onto the wheelchair frame 12 using a secure fastening means asdescribed above. Flexible tubing 46 is then attached to conduit 44, thetubing 46 sized for frictional fit over the conduit 44 in fluid tightrelation thereto. Liquid waste receptacle 50 is then secured intoposition, and the open end of tubing 46 is connected into connector 54.The system 10 is now ready for use. When the patient has a bowelmovement, it accumulates on the bottom surface 40 of the solid wastereceptacle 38. Any liquid waste will flow down into drain opening 42,into and through conduit 46, and ultimately into receptacle 50. Wheneither receptacle 38, 50 is full, or at other opportune times, they canbe detached, rinsed, and repositioned as described above. A deodorizingmeans (not shown) may be attached to reduce odors, the system 10 mayinclude a means for selectively activating the deodorizing means whenthe user notices unpleasant aromas. The deodorizing means may alsoinclude a scent detector to trigger activation, or may activateperiodically.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, special garments areprovided for use with the system 10. The garments 110, 112, are in theform of a pair of pants 110, or a skirt 112, having an opening in theseat portion. The pants 110 may have a flap covering attached at the topof the pant 110 so as to fall naturally in place when the user isstanding, thereby blocking the opening 118 in the pants 118. The skirt112 may be provided with a similar flap by extending rear portion 120 tocover skirt opening 122. Leggings 130, shown in FIG. 5C, may be used tocover the lower legs of the user, the leggings 130 have an elastic waistbelt 132, and suspenders 134 to position the leggings appropriately tosimulate pants. The leggings 130 may also be used with the skirt 112.Both garments 110, 112 are designed so that the openings 122, 118 can bepositioned over opening 26 in seat insert 20 when the user is seated, sothat the user does not have to remove or reposition clothing in order touse the system.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easilyascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changesand modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages andconditions.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to thesole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims:

1. A waste disposal system comprising: a seat portion, said seat portionhaving a substantially planar main top panel with a central aperture,said seat portion having a coupling means dependent from an edge region;a solid waste receptacle contained within said seat portion, said solidwaste receptacle having a contoured bottom surface shaped to directfluid flow to a drain opening; a conduit in fluid communication withsaid drain opening and adapted for fluid tight coupling to one end of alength of flexible tubing; and, a liquid waste receptacle fluidlycoupled to an opposing end of said flexible tubing; whereby solid wasteis accumulated on the bottom surface of said solid waste receptacle, andliquid waste is directed to said liquid waste receptacle.
 2. The systemof claim 1 including cushioning means sized for placement on said toppanel of said seat portion, said cushioning means having an openingaligned with said central aperture in said seat portion when positionedon said seat portion.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said liquid wastecontainer includes an opening for fluid coupling to said tubing, saidopening sized to reduce spillage of said liquid waste when tubing isreleased from said opening.
 4. The system of claim 1 including garmentsadapted to be worn by patients using said system, said garment includingan open seat portion with a movable flap portion, whereby said open seatportion may be positioned over the central aperture in the seat portion.